#ROADTOBOA Interview: Ten Ton Slug

Here we go again… Last year we covered every band on the Hobgoblin New Blood and Jagermeister stages in the run-up to Bloodstock 2015. This year, we’re going one better and aim to have interviews from all the bands on those two stages as well as all of those on the SOPHIE stage prior to the event kicking off on August 11th. That’s almost 100 interviews to get online for you lucky people over the course of the next couple of weeks. I bloody love this job, but you lot owe me a beer at Catton Hall, right?

We’re from a few different places, but are based in Galway, in the west of Ireland.

How did you meet?

Galway is a small place. It didn’t take long for us to fall victim to the Slug.

How long have you been playing together as a band?

Sean and Micheal had been playing music together for a number of years before gigging started as Ten Ton Slug with a full lineup in early 2014. A few changes in lineup since and we’re busier than ever.

Where does the name of the band come from?

The Slug chose us, so we must not question its will.

What are your influences – individually or as a band?

We are influenced by all that is heavy, has a groove and delivers powerful riffage: Black Sabbath, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity, Orange Goblin, Sepultura, Pantera, the list goes on…

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Our music is a mix of sludge and groove metal, we mix fast and slow sections to create a crushingly heavy riff-filled beast with vocals that range from guttural growls to demented shrieks. It’s all about the groove.

What’s your live show like – why should the baying hordes troop over to the stage you’re playing on to watch you?

To witness crushing riffs, slimy doom laden sludge with grooves that make you bang your f**cking head. Playing live is what we do best, the aim of our live show is to leave you crushed under the weight of the Slug.

When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?

We found out we were going to Bloodstock when Simon Hall announced us as the winners of Metal 2 the Masses Ireland in Dublin in May, an absolutely unbelievable day and a serious honour. Our mates Two Tales of Woe also got through from the same final, which was excellent!

What sort of setlist can we expect?

Our best tunes, tried and trusted and honed on the road. Heavy, doomy groovy riffs that will get your head banging! It’s a mix of tracks from our last release Live at the Oaks and our upcoming EP Brutal Gluttonous Beast.

Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?

Mastodon!!

What are you working on at the moment?

We have an EP recorded which we’ll be releasing after Bloodstock called Brutal Gluttonous Beast, some material from it will be out in the coming weeks. We also have plenty of material on the way for our debut album which we plan to start recording in the new year.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?

We’re not allowed to talk about it.

What advice would you give to a young band just starting out today?

Work hard, play loads of gigs, promote yourselves, be sound and help others.

If you could be part of any 3-band line-up who else would you have on the bill? One band above you and one below – a chance to plug a smaller, unsigned act!

Us, Two Tales of Woe (who are actually a bigger band than us!) And Crowbar. That would be immense.

What stage / time are you playing at Bloodstock (if you have your slot yet!)